E-Body "Body In White" Program

Author Topic: E-Body "Body In White" Program  (Read 3676 times)

Offline The Cuda Guy

  • Support Our Troops
  • Resident
  • ****
  • Posts: 3899
  • Pearl Harbor, HI
    • C-C.com
E-Body "Body In White" Program
« on: December 03, 2010 - 10:34:06 AM »
Can anyone confirm if Chrysler did a body in white for cudas and challengers?  70-74? 
If they did anyone got pics from start to finish of one of the cars?

Don
The Cuda Guy Project is on going!

Member Since January 14, 2002




Offline jvike

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 754
  • Pro-Touring Cuda
Re: E-Body "Body In White" Program
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2011 - 02:00:18 PM »
I might be wrong, but I belive that even the AAR built Trans-Am racers had VIN numbers.
Member of The Rapid Transit System

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Re: E-Body "Body In White" Program
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2011 - 01:01:27 AM »
I might be wrong, but I belive that even the AAR built Trans-Am racers had VIN numbers.

Yep, most racers got their cars from dealerships stripped of options and 440's or Hemi's in them. There were some teams (Sox & Martin, Motown Missle) sponsored by Mother but they were production cars because by this time (1970) they already had a Hemi option. The whole reason for the body in white A body was for homolegation  purposes because they were previously not equipped with the Hemi. This mad the Hemi A body a "production" car so the could run the table in SS during the latter 60's. E-body Hemi's were already production cars.
There was no need for such a program for E-bodies. If they weren't a factory team, racers were left to order from dealers. I'm sure that the established Privateers had a red phone to Mother and could get a car fast tracked to them but there wasn't a "body in white".

Offline The Cuda Guy

  • Support Our Troops
  • Resident
  • ****
  • Posts: 3899
  • Pearl Harbor, HI
    • C-C.com
Re: E-Body "Body In White" Program
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2011 - 07:24:22 AM »
Good info!  Thanks for sharing!

Don
The Cuda Guy Project is on going!

Member Since January 14, 2002

Offline 'Cuda Hunter

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 9102
  • Tastes Like Chicken
Re: E-Body "Body In White" Program
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2011 - 04:00:38 PM »
forgive my ignorance, but, what is a "body in white" ?

I assume that is different than the tooling bodies.


"All riches begin as a state of mind and you have complete control of your mind"  -- B. Lee

Offline go-fish

  • Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 2391
Re: E-Body "Body In White" Program
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2011 - 02:43:38 AM »
forgive my ignorance, but, what is a "body in white" ?

I assume that is different than the tooling bodies.



This, below, is from wikipedia and sums up what is reffered to as a Body in White. The limitaed production cars were shipped out of the plant, painted White, to Hurst Performance.
Don, was asking if they ever did this with E-bodies but since they already could be ordered with the biggest engine Mopar had they "let" the racers buy them. The factory teams had them donated. The Dart could NOT be ordered with the biggest engine and putting a Hemi in one would not slassify it as Super Stock. S/S was the hottest series in the late sixties and Mopar wanted in so they made a limited run of "production model" Hemi Darts and B-cuda's (all in white). They had to make a certain # for it to actually be considered a "production" car.

"
In 1967, the Dart entered the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) new Sedan Class racing series. For racing in this series, the compact cars, which included Ford Falcons and Plymouth Barracudas as well as foreign makes, were prepared like stock cars on the NASCAR Grand National circuit. "Baby Grands" was the nickname coined for these cars. Darts were powered by the 4-barrel 273 V-8 and were equipped with roll cages and 15 in (381 mm) wheels with fat tires. Bob Tullius, widely known for his Quaker State Group 44-marked cars, was one of the first to drive the Dodge Dart in the sedan class, and with notable success.[19]

Although racers like Dick Landy and Don Garlits had modified Darts in the mid-60s to run in the NHRA Funny Car class using the 426 Hemi, Super Stock class racing of the Dart was almost non-existent due to the small V-8s available. In 1968, Dodge contracted Hurst Performance to build a limited number of 440 in³ V8-wedge and 426 Hemi-powered Darts to compete in the SS/B class as the LO23 Hurst Hemi Dart. Dart body shells were shipped to Hurst who would install a magnesium cross ram-inducted 426 Hemi into the engine bay, facilitated by sledge hammer hits to the fender wells to make room for the Hemi's installation.[citation needed] The rear wheel well arches were also modified in the same manner the shock towers were modified up front.[citation needed] Features included a fiberglass nose, fenders and hood, lightened bumpers, no side view mirrors, radio and heater delete, no soundproofing in the floor and firewall, no back seat, a trunk-mounted battery, acid dipped doors, belt straps for window cranks, Lexan windows, and Dodge A100 van seats mounted on drilled seat rails for decreased weight.[citation needed] These Darts rode on 7 x 14" steel wheels and came in two shades of gray primer with the nose a darker shade than the rest of the body.[citation needed] When shipped to a dealership, a Hemi Dart had a disclaimer on the window stating "Warning: this Super Stock vehicle is to be shipped on the bottom level only of all rail and truck transportation"; this was to ensure that the Hemi's low-hanging oil pan would not get damaged and keep the fiberglass nose from being damaged on any low-hanging obstacles.[citation needed] The Plymouth version was the Hurst Hemi Barracuda."

Offline 'Cuda Hunter

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 9102
  • Tastes Like Chicken
Re: E-Body "Body In White" Program
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2011 - 08:41:04 PM »
Thank you very much.
"All riches begin as a state of mind and you have complete control of your mind"  -- B. Lee